At the time when the Maritime Coastal Station VID was installed in Darwin in Australia’s
Northern Territory, the total population was only a little over one thousand residents. This rather discordant frontier settlement was almost totally disconnected from the rest of Australia; there was no reliable interconnecting motor highway, there was no interconnecting railway system, and of course at that era, passenger plane travel had not yet been developed. However, there was one unreliable single wire telephone line stretching across the intervening desert areas for more than one and a half thousand miles, connecting the far north with the distant south.At that early era, local residents were struggling for employment, though gold had been discovered at Pine Creek, 140 miles south of Darwin. Other residents were involved with attempted food production on a large scale, various forms of government leadership, and of course, the maintenance of the cable system connecting Adelaide to the south and Singapore to the north west. There was also a large ethnic group of Larrakia Aborigines living in Darwin and the surrounding areas.In 1911, the Australian section of the British Royal Navy recommended that a total of sixteen coastal wireless stations should be installed around the Australian coastline; three high powered stations and thirteen medium powered stations. Darwin was to receive a medium powered facility. The new coastal wireless station for the northern coast of Australia was constructed at Frogs Hollow, Darwin, and a 5 kW spark transmitter designed under the Balsillie system was installed in the new wireless station building. They generated their own power, and the transmitter was paired with a simple crystal set receiver. A postcard from this early era shows a single pole as the support for the simple aerial system.This new wireless station was officially opened for service exactly 102 years ago, on September 25, 1913, under the coastal system callsign VID. Two years later, the navy took over all of the coastal wireless stations surrounding the Australian coastline as a World War 1 wartime exigency, including VID Darwin. However, some time after peace returned in Europe and to the rest of the world, all of these wireless stations, including VID, were finally returned in October 1920 to their previous owners, the government operated PMG system. Then, another change in ownership took place two years later, and VID, with all of the others, was taken over by the well known Australian radio organization, AWA. Under AWA, the ancient spark equipment was replaced by valve radio equipment.As more recent history tells us, another world war came on the scene, and the navy once again took over the control of the entire network of coastal wireless stations, though AWA still retained the ownership and operation of the stations. That was on September 3, 1939, when open hostilities broke out on continental Europe. Military guards were appointed to guard each of these Australian wireless stations.However one and a half years later, political events demonstrated that the war was on the horizon in Asia and the Pacific, and it was moving towards the continent of Australia. Thus it was that the navy wireless station near Darwin, VHM at HMAS Coonawarra, took over all navy communications from the commercial wireless station VID. Following the tragic attack on Pearl Harbor towards the end of the year 1941, VID was again making contact with navy vessels, under the code callsign VID6. By this time, Darwin was a very busy harbor with a multitude of navy vessels, Australian, British and American, traversing the nearby seas. In fact, at this stage, there were an additional 10,000 service personnel from the United States and elsewhere serving in the armed forces in the Darwin neighborhood.Then it came; at 9:58 am on February 19, 1942, the first air raid on Australian soil. The first wave of Japanese aircraft, 188 bombers and fighters, bombed and strafed the city, the harbour, and the radio station. A Zero fighter strafed the radio station with machine guns, damaging the antenna beamed towards the headquarters coastal station VIS in Sydney. A second wave of 54 Japanese bombers attacked Darwin just two hours later in a raid lasting half an hour. The airport radio station was destroyed, and VID was asked to take over all aircraft communications. In total, anywhere up to a thousand people were killed, In another raid four months later, station VID was very badly damaged when 50 bombs were dropped in the area, though several did not explode, due apparently to the fact that they were old left over armament that had deteriorated.Then two months later again, Radio station VID received its worst war time damage on August 27 (1942) when it sustained a direct hit, thus destroying or damaging all equipment and much of the structure as well. At this stage, the navy station VHM at Coonawarra took over all of the VID communication services. However, soon afterwards local staff repaired and rebuilt the station, and in progressive stages VID once again took over its regular communication services.

* Warnings from the NorthThe Tiwi Islands lie just 50 miles north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise two larger islands, Melville Island and Bathurst Island, together with nine smaller uninhabited islands, and they are administered as part of Australia’s Northern Territory.The largest of the Tiwi Islands is the very irregularly shaped Melville Island which stretches approximately 70 miles by 70 miles. This island is Australia’s second largest island, after Tasmania.There is a small settlement on the north coast of Melville Island and an unpaved landing strip for small aircraft. The total population, mostly Tiwi Aborigines, numbers around one thousand. On the western edge of Melville is Bathurst Island, again with a very irregular coastline, and this one is shaped approximately like an equilateral triangle with each side stretching 40 miles. The two islands are separated by a rather narrow winding channel. There are two settlements on this island, again mostly Tiwi Aborigines, with a total population around 1500.The first European to sight the island was the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman, who is honored with his name attached to the island state of Tasmania. Bathurst Island was named in honor of an English government official, the same official whose name is memorialized in Canada with another Bathurst Island over there.Back nearly two centuries ago, there was a failed attempt at establishing a European settlement on Bathurst Island, though it lasted for only five years before the inhabitants were transferred to the nearby Australian mainland. A Catholic mission was established here a little over a century ago, in 1910. The European priest in charge, Francis Gsell, established a pattern of buying Aboriginal girls who had been betrothed to older men so that they could marry younger men.On Air Raid Day, Thursday February 19, 1942, observers on both islands, Melville and Bathurst, sent radio warnings to Darwin, but both warnings were somewhat ignored, in the same way that a similar warning was ignored just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands.At 9:15 am, Lt. John Gribble at the small air force base on Melville Island radioed VHM at the Coonawarra navy base near Darwin that a large flight of Japanese planes was passing over the island with the obvious intent of attacking Darwin. In Darwin, this information was not acted upon immediately.Then 20 minutes later (9:35 am), the Catholic priest John McGrath on nearby Bathurst Island, reported to VID Darwin on the pre-set X Band channel in the 6 MHz band (6840 kHz) that a huge flight of bombers was headed towards Darwin. Two minutes later, VID telephoned this information to the Royal Australian Air Force base 8 miles south of Darwin, but the information was incorrectly interpreted, assuming that the flight was an American formation of planes returning from an aborted flight to Java in the East Indies (Indonesia).While over Bathurst Island, eight Japanese planes peeled off from the main formation and attacked the Catholic mission station. The radio hut, together with its pedal wireless transmitter 8SE, was damaged, but during the day McGrath repaired the damaged equipment. At 6:00 pm the same day, he radioed another report to VID Darwin in which he gave details of the damage inflicted on Bathurst Island. We plan to complete this interesting Darwin radio story three weeks from now.
(AWR Wavescan/NWS 343)

The time has come, the event you are waiting for has arrived! The new month of October is the official period for our big 2015 Wavescan DX contest. This year, we invite you to participate in “The World’s Most Unusual DX Contest”, and this time you may design your own contest details. Read on for this years requirements.

AWARDS

* The awards for the 2015 AWR “The World’s Most Unusual DX Contest” will be similar to all previous contests, with the addition of several extra awards.
* Every entry will receive a full size copy of two historic American mediumwave QSL cards dating back to the early 1920s.
* Four entries will receive a special numbered QSL card featuring Thomas Kincade art in color showing twin radio towers, the only Kincade painting that depicts a radio station.
* All AWR reception reports will be verified with specially endorsed AWR QSL cards, and two new cards are now available.
* Additional AWR souvenirs, radio curios, Christmas Card, AWR Magazine and small keepsakes.
* One entry from Australia and New Zealand will receive a copy of the new 5th edition of Dr. Bruce Carty’s remarkable and readable book “Australian Radio History”. This large format volume, in full color throughout, presents almost 100 pages of fascinating information about every known medium wave station that ever took to the air in Australia during the past almost 100 years, beginning in 1918.
* Each continental winner will receive a copy of the 2016 edition of the World Radio TV Handbook.
* The World Winner will receive a copy of one of Jerome Berg’s remarkable shortwave radio history books. The winner may choose which of the four thick volumes he would like to receive.

The World’s Most Unusual DX Contest The World’s Most Unusual DX Contest

A. The World’s Most Unusual DX Contest: Description
You are invited to design your own DX contest in any way and in any form you consider is best. Your self-designed DX contest may be based upon any aspect of radio associated in some way with shortwave or mediumwave broadcasting, such as for example: Listening, monitoring, collecting QSLs, programming, script writing, radio history, currentradio events, radio in the future, large radio stations, little radio stations, rare stations, distant stations, local stations, silent stations, visiting radio stations, radio magazines, radio receivers, personal radio memories, recording for broadcast, etc, etc.
* Your self-designed DX contest may be in any form you desire, and it may be ambitious and complicated, or it may be simple and quite easy, in whatever way you consider is most appropriate.
* You should then describe in a paragraph or two, the details of your own self-designed QSL contest.
* Not valid for this contest are amateur nor CB radio stations.

B. World’s Most Unusual DX Contest: Fulfillment
* Please demonstrate the way you have fulfilled the requirements for your own self-designed DX contest, in a brief paragraph or two.

C. Your Best QSL Since the 2014 DX Contest
* What is the best QSL that you have received since the 2014 DX contest? Please provide details and a photocopy, in color if possible.

D. AWR Reception Reports

* You are invited to prepare three reception reports for the broadcast on shortwave, mediumwave or FM of any AWR programming in any part of the world. You may choose the international shortwave programing from Adventist World Radio, via KSDA Guam; or any of the shortwave relay stations that carry AWR programming; or any of the 1700 local medium wave or FM stations in any part of the world that are affiliated with Adventist World Radio.
* Please do not send a recording of your reception; we just need your honest reception report on paper. All reception reports will be verified with our two new QSL cards, and a special contest endorsement will be shown on each card.

E. Three Radio Cards
* Where possible, you are invited to include three radio cards for the Indianapolis Heritage Collection with your contest entry. These cards may be old or new, and they may be QSL cards, reception report cards, or picture cards of radio stations, etc. Not valid for this contest are amateur cards nor CB radio cards.

Other Contest Details
* Well, there you have it, the details for our Wavescan 2015 “World’s Most Unusual DX Contest”. This contest will run through the month of October 2015, and all contest entries should be postmarked at your local post office anywhere in the world on any date up to the end of the month of October 2015 and they should be received at the AWR post office address in Indianapolis no later than the end of the month of November 2015.
* Post your entry with all items to Adventist World Radio in Indianapolis, remembering that neatness and preparation, will all feature in the judging procedure. Due consideration will also be given to the area of the world in which the contestant lives.
* Where possible, please enclose return postage in the form of currency notes in any international currency, or mint postage stamps. Please note that IRC coupons are too expensive for you to buy, and they are no longer valid in the United States.
* Please enclose your postal address label also.
* Please remember that it will take a period of many months, well into the new year 2016, to process all of the contest entries and reception reports, but each will in due course be processed.

AWR DX Programs
Ever since Adventist World Radio was inaugurated way back more than 40 years ago, listeners in many countries on all continents have looked forward to participating in the annual DX contest. Our historical records show that the first listener contest was conducted by the fledgling new AWR-Europe way back during the year 1972, just a few months after the official inauguration on October 1, 1971.
The longest series of annual DX contests began under the original Adventist World Radio in Asia, AWR-Asia in Poona India, and these were introduced just a few years later in 1977. The first world winner in the annual contest in association with the original AWR DX program “Radio Monitors International” RMI was Victor Goonetilleke, the well known international radio monitor living in Colombo Sri Lanka. Since then, this well established AWR DX program has transmigrated from Asia to the United States, and the name likewise has evolved into a new name, the now familiar “Wavescan”.
Throughout all of these intervening years, the annual winner’s list contains the names of well known international radio monitors living on all continents. In addition, the long roster of regional winners over the years includes a host of names, international radio monitors living in up to a hundred different countries. Any and all entrants have an equal possibility of winning one of the many awards that are available each year.
In fact, every entry in this year’s very unusual DX contest will be awarded a full size photocopy of two very early mediumwave QSL cards, dating way back to the very beginning of radio broadcasting in the United States. In addition, four entrants will receive a very special QSL card; the QSL text will be attached to the only picture painted by the noted American artist Thomas Kincade that shows a radio antenna. Other awards will include the World Radio TV Handbook for 2016; one of Jerome Berg’s full volumes on the international history of shortwave radio; a copy of Dr. Bruce Carty’s colorful new volume, “Australian Radio History”.
As Adventist World Radio enters into its 44th year of international radio broadcasting, we take pleasure in announcing our annual “Wavescan” DX contest, which comes to you under the title, “The World’s Most Unusual DX Contest”. In short, you are invited to design your own DX contest in whatever way you consider is best.

Important information for those who monitor KBS
programming at 1300-1400 UTC, on 9645
kHz. From 01 October the station will begin replacing the antenna on the
transmitter operating on a given frequency in the direction of Europe. During this
period until December 10, the broadcast will be carried from a neighboring
non-directional transmitter, resulting in signal strength and accordingly, the
reception

According to the disclosed technical specifications, the final
version of the AV-DVR-1401 supports DRM in both shortwave and medium-wave bands,
analog medium wave as well as analog FM with RDS, and will display images and
information on a 3.5-inch TFT color LCD unit.

European Return European Mailer
(4½ x
6¼) (4¾ x 6½)115mm x
160mm 120mm x
165mm
These envelopes are perfectly acceptable for mailing to ALL parts of
the world, not just to Europe. Their size insures you that 4” x 6” DX QSLs will
not come back to you folded which could happen if you used small U.S. sized
airmail envelopes. Our European Return fits into the European Mailer without
folding. These two envelopes and up to 3 QSL cards weigh less than one
ounce. The European Return and 2 QSLs weigh less than 10 grams. All
envelopes are sealed in plastic for protection. Envelopes are packed 100 per
size per package. The 50/50 Combo comes in one package. SPECIFY!! Plain or
Airmail version. Mix and Match by 100’s.
September 2013 1005001000
Euro Returns Plain or Airmail $12.00 $50.00
$90.00
Euro Mailers Plain or Airmail $13.00 $55.00
$100.00

Save On Special Combo Deals!!!!

50 Mailers/50 Returns - $12 (either all plain or all
airmail)

100 Mailers/100 Returns - $22 (mix and match)

500 Mailers/500 Returns - $100 (mix and match by 100’s)

PRODUCTS shipped via Priority Mail. Shipping charges: Orders up to $40
add $9.00, orders from $41 to $100 add $15, orders from $101 to $150 add $20,
orders over $150 add 15% of order for shipping. Products shipped to Canada ship
at higher cost. REMEMBER: When ordering supplies AND stamps, use supply total to
figure shipping costs. Stamps “ride free” when you order supplies. (09/15
modified)

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

As a new service to our blog readers, the Milcom Monitoring Post Blog, Btown Monitoring Post Blog and the Shortwave Central Blog are now uploading audio clips of selected radio intercepts we have heard. You will be able to see them in selected file list to the right of this post. Here is a sample of a recent longwave intercept made by Gayle W4GVH and posted to her AudioBoom account. You can follow both N5FPW and W4GVH AudioBoom post by clicking on one of the audio files in our library and when on our AudioBoom pages click follow. Good hunting de Chief.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Despite broadcast satellites and cell phones, the U.S. government continues to transmit that staple of Cold War spy movies — shortwave radio — from miles of transmission towers tucked away in a corner of rural North Carolina.

The last Voice of America shortwave transmission station in the United States spreads across 2,700 acres eastern North Carolina's flat coastal plain, ready in a crisis to blast news to the world's remote corners.

The taxpayer-funded transmission site near Greenville, named for legendary broadcaster and former director of VOA's parent agency Edward R. Murrow, reserves a domestic option for the government broadcaster that has overwhelmingly gone digital or sends its signals from overseas sites.

9525.978v Voice of Indonesia. Very appropriate that I was listening today, the 70th anniversary of RRI, which was founded on Sept 11, 1945. This Friday, again heard "Exotic Indonesia" in English starting at 1259, Joint program of VOI-Jakarta and RRI Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan; 1302
alternating news items from Jakarta and Banjarmasin / Kalimantan (due to heavy smoke in Banjarmasin, people warned to cut down on outdoor activity and stay indoors). "Commentary," "Today in History," RRI anniversary and terrorists destroyed World Trade Center; 1330 UT "Focus"; usual chatting between Jakarta and Banjarmasin. Many program IDs for "Exotic Indonesia."

*4750, RRI Makassar (?)* Was here looking for them on Sept 10, at 1221, and subsequent checking, due to the report on Sept 9, by Atsunori Ishida, of a reactivation of an "Unidentified RRI" station. Was only able to hear a stronger than normal Bangladesh Betar (Home Svc) along with weaker CNR1 (China), so unable to confirm a third station here on this day.

Sept 11, at 1206, tentatively did seem to be three stations mixing together here. Very difficult to be positive, but did at times sound like the Jakarta news. Today CNR1 was stronger than Bangladesh Betar, so conditions here vary a lot on a daily basis. Worth while to monitor here to see what develops. (Ron Howard-CA-USA, DXplorer via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 11)

9525.979 Heard many times with English ID of VoIndonesia Cimanggis between 1300 and 1305, on Sept 21, S=8-9 fair signal in southern Germany, during early autumn propagation path.
(wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Sept 21)

4749.95 RRI Makassar, at 1114-1231 on Sep 12. Heard with much better reception than yesterday, started out very poor, but clearly three stations mixing together;. Some music heard via RRI, by 1159 much clearer with theme music, Jakarta news 1200-1231, ending with what sounded like the patriotic song "Garuda Pancasila." It was a big help that CNR1 was not propagating well today. Hope RRI's reception continues to improve. Certainly is very nice to have them back. Thanks very much to
Mauno Ritola for his additional confirmation today - "RRI Makassar ID heard at 1234 UT via Western Australian web receiver". (Ron Howard-CA-USA, DXplorer via dswci Sept 16)

Also tentatively heard at 2200 on Sept 12, carrier with traces of music. Maybe this is a reactivated RRI Makassar earlier noted on this offset last time heard. China is stronger on 4749.99 kHz and the one coming through with their program. (Nilsson-SWE, DXplorer via dswci Sept 16)
(BCDX-Top Nx 1222-21 Sept)

We
pick up the long and interesting story of the Westinghouse shortwave station
with four consecutive callsigns, KDKA-W8XK-WPIT-WBOS, in the year 1919. World War 1 was over, the devastated nations
in Europe were beginning to re-assemble themselves into some form of normalcy,
and radio was poised and almost ready to begin to assert itself as a powerful
worldwide medium of entertainment and information.

Right at 8 pm on Friday evening
October 17, 1919, just 2½weeks after the ban against all
amateur and experimental radio transmissions in the United States was lifted,
Frank Conrad began a two hour program of recorded music over his amateur
station 8XK in Wilkinsburg Pennsylvania.
The low power longwave transmitter was installed on the 2nd
floor above the family garage next to his home on the corner of Penn Avenue and
Peebles Street in Wilkinsburg.

The antenna wires stretched between
two wooden poles, one placed at the edge of the garage and the other at the
back corner of the family property. Also
stretching between these two wooden poles was a set of earth wires acting as a
counterpoise, a dozen feet above the ground.

Thus began a spasmodic series of
entertainment programs, consisting of live and recorded music, together with
announcements and items of information that were heard not only in the
Pittsburgh area, but further afield, wherever there was an amateur radio
operator tuning cross the bands on his untidy home made receiver. Informal reception reports came in by phone,
by mail, and by wireless, and many of them were answered in kind.

A few months later, early in the
following year 1920, Fred Conroy at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in
Pittsburgh took the institute’s experimental radio transmitter 8XC
to the Westinghouse factory at East Pittsburgh, and there he gave a
demonstration of radio transmission and reception to their top officials. At the time, the 8XC license was held by the
Carnegie Institute of Technology, though quite soon afterwards the license
lapsed, and the call was re-issued to an amateur experimenter in Cleveland
Ohio.

Due to the local interest that was
developed by the Conrad 8XK entertainment and information broadcasts, the
Joseph Horne Department Store in Pittsburgh had a local radiotrician build a
few sets which were advertised in the local newspaper for sale in the
store. Westinghouse Vice President Harry
Davis recognized the sales potential, and he called a conference of
Westinghouse officials, including Frank Conrad, to discuss the possibility of
establishing a radio broadcasting station in their factory complex. That was in September 1920, and they soon set
a target date for the launching of the new radio broadcasting station at the
time of the presidential elections scheduled for November 2.

Westinghouse already held a wireless
station license, just recently received, for a communication station under the
callsign KDKA. This license gave
approval for Morse Code communication between the East Pittsburgh factory and
other interstate Westinghouse facilities.

A wooden shack was
constructed on the roof of factory Building K at East Pittsburgh, eight stories
above ground level, and a new 100 watt mediumwave transmitter was built and set
in a corner of the room. The single wire
antenna was stretched between Building K and a nearby chimney stack.

Test broadcasts were
radiated from the new radio transmitter a few days in advance of the inaugural
election day broadcast and these were noted on 550 meters, equivalent to 545
kHz at the low end of the now recognized mediumwave band. The Pittsburgh Gazette Times announced in
their daily newspaper on October 24 that the new Westinghouse radio
broadcasting station would be inaugurated on Election Day, eight days later.

In the meantime, Westinghouse had
submitted a license request to the regional office of the Department of
Commerce in Detroit for approval to broadcast the election returns on November
2. However, because of the close
proximity of time, Westinghouse received an official phone call that gave them
approval to broadcast under the special and temporary amateur callsign
8ZZ. Apparently the paper work did not
follow, and the Department of Commerce (intentionally or inadvertently?)
re-issued the call 8ZZ quite soon to an amateur radio operator in
Michigan.

The inaugural broadcast
from the new radio broadcasting station 8ZZ, began at 6:00 pm on Election Day,
Tuesday November 2, 1920. It was a stormy
almost wintry night, and four men crouched over their equipment in the
hurriedly erected wooden hut on top of the eight storied K Building in the
Westinghouse factory complex at East Pittsburgh, in the American state of
Pennsylvania.

As the progressive news came in by
voice over the phone from a reporter in the newspaper office at the Pittsburgh
Gazette Times, it was written down by R. S. McLelland and John Frazier, and it
was then handed to Leo Rosenburg who read the information into the 8ZZ microphone. Caring for the operation of the technical
equipment was radiotrician Donald Little.

In between the snippets of election
news, two banjo players strummed away to provide an interlude of musical
entertainment. Then too, Announcer
Rosenburg made frequent requests for reception reports on the transmissions
from the new station, and these reports came in from lots of locations within
North America, and even from a ship at sea.

And where was Frank Conrad on the
occasion of the inaugural transmission; he who had designed and built the
equipment? He was at home 5 miles away,
ready to use his own low powered longwave transmitter 8XK in the room above the
garage as a back up unit if the main transmitter on top of the Westinghouse K
Building should malfunction.

However, all went well, and 8ZZ
performed admirably. In fact, it stayed
on the air all that night right up until noon next day with the broadcast of
election news, even though the loser, Governor James Cox, had already conceded
victory to the new President Warren Harding.

One of the Westinghouse executives,
Dr. L. W. Chubb, Manager of the Radio Engineering Department, installed a
receiver with two loud speakers in the main community room at the Edgewood
Club, some 4 miles distant from the transmitter location. The large crowd who had gathered for the
Election Day broadcast included many senior Westinghouse executives and their
wives. It is estimated that the total
audience tuned in to station 8ZZ for their election results numbered anywhere
up to a thousand.

Following the successful
inauguration of the new radio broadcasting station at the Westinghouse factory
at East Pittsburgh, the station adopted a regular daily schedule with
entertainment and information programs each evening, beginning usually around
6:00 pm. The original temporary
mediumwave callsign 8ZZ was quite soon replaced by the more familiar KDKA a day
or two later. And that’s
our story on another occasion here in Wavescan.

:Issued: 2015 Sep 21 0538 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 - 20 September 2015
Solar activity was low from 14-16 Sep. Activity increased to moderate levels on 17 Sep when Region 2415 (S19, L=233, class/area Eac/240 on 19 Sep) produced an M1/Sf flare at 17/0940 UTC. A long duration C2/Sf flare observed at 18/0631 UTC was accompanied by Type II (850 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps along with a coronal mass ejection (CME). Low levels were observed on 18-19 Sep but returned to moderate levels on 20 Sep. Region 2420 (N09, L=108, class/area Ekc/270 on 20 Sep) produced an M1 at 20/0503 UTC as it rotated onto the east limb. Region 2415 produced an M2/2n flare at 20/1803 UTC accompanied by a Type II (1358 km/s) radio sweep as well as a 320 sfu Tenflare. An associated CME was observed in SOHO LASCO C2 imagery beginning at 20/1812 UTC and a WSA-Enlil model run is in progress to determine geoeffectiveness.
No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit, however, an enhancement was observed in conjunction with the M2 flare from 20 Sep with a peak flux of 3 pfu at 20/2045 UTC.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at moderate to high levels from 14-18 Sep due to a combination of effects from a CME and coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) influence. Normal to moderate levels were observed on 19-20 Sep.
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to minor storm levels on 14 Sep due to the onset of a recurrent, positive polarity CH HSS late in the day. Quiet to active levels persisted from 15-17 Sep as HSS influence continued. Quiet to unsettled conditions were observed on 18 Sep as CH HSS effects subsided. Predominately quiet to unsettled levels were observed on 19 Sep with the exception of isolated active and minor storm periods from 19/0300-0600 UTC and 19/0600-0900 UTC, respectively, in response to a solar sector boundary change and a prolonged period of negative Bz. A geomagnetic Sudden Impulse of 27 nT was observed at the Boulder magnetometer on 20 Sep at 0605 UTC indicating the arrival of the 18 Sep CME. Unsettled to severe storm conditions were subsequently observed and then were followed by the onset of a recurrent, positive polarity CH HSS.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 21 September - 17 October 2015
Solar activity is expected to be at low to moderate levels from 21 Sep - 02 Oct as Region 2420 makes its way across the visible disk. Low levels are anticipated from 03-05 Oct. Low to moderate levels are likely to return on 06 Oct when Region 2415 is expected to rotate back into view and remain elevated through the end of the forecast period (17 Oct).
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit although a slight chance exists from 21-22 Sep when Region 2415 rotates off of the west limb and 06-17 Oct when it returns as it now has a history of producing protons.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at moderate to high levels from 21-27 Sep due to influence from various CME and CH HSS activity. Normal to moderate levels are expected from 28 Sep to 01 Oct. Chances for high levels return from 02-11 Oct due to effects from a series of recurrent, positive polarity high speed streams. Predominately normal to moderate levels are expected for the remainder of the period.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to reach minor storm levels early on 21 Sep due to waning effects of the 18 Sep CME and CH HSS influence. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected from 22-24 Sep although analysis is ongoing to determine if and when the 20 Sep CME will affect field activity. Unsettled to active levels are expected from 25-26 Sep due to influence from a negative polarity CH HSS.
Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected from 27-30 Sep. A series of recurrent positive polarity high speed streams are expected to increase field activity to a baseline of unsettled to active conditions from 01-09 Oct with minor storm levels likely on 01 Oct and 05-06 Oct and major storm levels likely on 04 and 08 Oct during peak influence as well as co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) preceding the onset of the individual streams. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected from 10-16 Oct with isolated active periods possible during periods of sustained negative Bz as HSS influence subsides. Unsettled to active levels are expected with a chance for minor storm periods on 17 Oct due to positive polarity CH HSS influence.

Friday, September 18, 2015

The Ministry of Culture has finalized a transition date -- by Lizzie PlaugicNorway will shut down FM radio in the country beginning in 2017, Radio.no reports. The Norwegian Ministry of Culture finalized a shift date this week, making it the first country to do away with FM radio entirely. The country plans to transition to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) as a national standard.A statementreleased this week by the Ministry of Culture confirms a switch-off date that was proposed by the Norwegian government back in 2011. The government has concluded that the country is capable of meeting all the requirements necessary for a smooth transition to digital.FM IS EIGHT TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DAB“Listeners will have access to more diverse and pluralistic radio-content, and enjoy better sound quality and new functionality,” Minister of Culture Thorhild Widvey said in a statement. “Digitization will also greatly improve the emergency preparedness system, facilitate increased competition and offer new opportunities for innovation and development.”…..

Monday, September 14, 2015

:Issued: 2015 Sep 14 0537 UTC
# Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center
# Product description and SWPC web contact www.swpc.noaa.gov/weekly.html
#
# Weekly Highlights and Forecasts
#
Highlights of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 07 - 13 September 2015
Solar activity was very low with the exception of 11 September when Region 2414 (S10, L=321, class/area Dai/190 on 13 Sep) produced an isolated C1/Sf flare at 11/2137 UTC. A large filament structure was observed lifting off the NW quadrant in SDO/AIA 171 imagery beginning at 07/0740 UTC. Subsequent analysis indicated a glancing blow on 11 September. By 13 September, old Region 2403 (S15, L=192), which was responsible for multiple M-class flares last rotation, returned to the visible disk as new Region 2418 (S15, L=203, class/area Hsx/120 on 13 Sep). The region appears to have simplified, however due to limb proximity, there might be more associated spots yet to become visible. No proton events were observed at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at mostly high levels with moderate levels observed on 08 September. The largest flux value for the period was 11,910 pfu observed at 13/1425 UTC.
Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to severe storm (G3-Strong) levels during the period. The period began under the influence of a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream (CH HSS) coupledwith a coronal mass ejection (CME) that was the result of a filament eruption on 04 September. Solar wind speed increased to over 600 km/s just after 07/1400 UTC followed by an increase in total field to 20 nT by 08/0700 UTC. The Bz component rotated southward by 08/2323 UTC to a maximum of -9 nT on 09 September. The geomagnetic field responded with periods of major storm levels (G2-Moderate)from 07-09 September. By 10 September, total field had decreased to 5 nT with solar wind speeds around 410 km/s. The geomagnetic field was at quiet to active levels on 10 September. By early on 11 September, total field increased again to 16 nT while the Bz component reached a maximum southward deflection of -16 nT at 11/0730 UTC. Solar wind speed increased to near 660 km/s by 11/1140 UTC as a positive polarity coronal hole high speed stream became geoeffective, possibly in combination with the glancing blow from the 07 September CME. The geomagnetic field responded with unsettled to severe storm levels (G3-Strong) on 11 September. Throughout the rest of the period, solar wind parameters slowly diminished to near nominal levels. Quiet to active levels were observed on 12 September with quiet to unsettled levels on 13 September.
Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 14 September - 10 October 2015
Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels with a slight chance for M-class flares from 14-26 September as Regions 2414 and 2418 rotate across the visible disk.
No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal to moderate levels with high levels expected on 14-18, 21-22, 26-27 September and from 02-06, 09-10 October due to influence from multiple recurrent CH HSSs.
Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels on 14-16, 20, 24-25 September, and from 30 September through 10 October with minor storm (G1-Minor) periods likely on 15 September, 01 October, 05-06 October, 08 October, and major storm periods possible on 04 October due to recurrent CH HSS activity.

Friday, September 11, 2015

This weekend's VOA Radiogram will include nearly nine minutes of Olivia
32-2000. The Olivia 32-2000 mode is about 50 words per minute and is useful when
reception is difficult. If reception is good this weekend, you can perhaps
create difficult reception by using an inexpensive radio.

The Fldigi RxID should be on (green) and will probably detect the Olivia
32-2000 mode from the RSID. If it does not: Op Mode > Olivia > Custom >
Bandwidth=2000, Tones=32.

The non-Latin alphabet of the week is Chinese. If you use Fldigi, make sure
that Configure > Colors & Fonts > Rx/TX Character set is set to UTF-8.
The Chinese should also display correctly with the AndFlmsg Android app version 1.2, which
now has UTF-8 support.

Any photos of decoding using an inexpensive radio next to an Android phone or
tablet (or next to a Windows/iOS laptop) would be helpful.

If it is convenient, I would also appreciate mp3 recordings of the Olivia
32-2000 in difficult reception conditions.

After the closing announcements will be two images, one immediately following
the other. Fldigi automatically saves decoded MFSK images as png files in the
folder \fldigi.files\images\. (Other operating systems may have different
folder names.) You can attach those png files to your reception report. In
Android, the MFSK images are stored in the folder NBEMS.files/NBEMS-Images.

Here is the lineup for VOA Radiogram, program 128, 12-13 September
2015, all in MFSK32 except where noted:

The Mighty KBC will transmit a minute of MFSK64 Sunday at 0230 UTC
(Saturday 10:30 pm EDT) on 7375 kHz, via Germany. This is part of the KBC
transmission to North America Sundays at 0000-0300 UTC on 7375 kHz. Reports for
this KBC transmission to Eric: themightykbc@gmail.com

Thank you for your reception reports and recordings from last weekend's VOA
Radiogram. I'm now putting together a gallery of the MFSK 16, 32, 63, and
SSTV images from program 122, so I still have some catching up to do.

Channel 292 will be off air on the 19/09 and 20/09 for maintenance.
Further info from: http://www.channel292.de/schedule-for-bookings/
Kind regards,
Rob Wise.
Hobart Radio International - The Voice of Tasmania
North Hobart, 7002 Tasmania, AUSTRALIA

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Under new management, Alaska's HAARP facility open for business again
by Ned Rozell

Instead of falling to the dozer blade, the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program has new life.

In mid-August, U.S. Air Force General Tom Masiello shook hands with UAF's Brian Rogers and Bob McCoy, transferring the powerful upper-atmosphere research facility from the military to the university.

You may have heard of HAARP. Nick Begich wrote a book about it. Jesse Ventura tried to bully his way past the Gakona gate during a TV episode of "Conspiracy Theory." Muse recorded a live album, HAARP, at Wembley Stadium from a stage filled with antennas meant to resemble those standing on a gravel pad off the Tok Cutoff Road.

The science-fiction assertions of caribou walking backwards, human mind control and HAARP's ability to change the weather have made researchers wince. It's hard to describe a complicated instrument that sends invisible energy into a zone no one can see.

HAARP is a group of high-frequency radio transmitters powered by four diesel tugboat generators and one from a locomotive. The transmitters send a focused beam of radio-wave energy into the aurora zone. There, that energy can stimulate a speck of the electrical sun-Earth connection about 100 miles above our heads.